Battle of Lodi

Arc de Triomphe: LODI

May 10, 1796

As the Austrians fell back before the French Army of Italy, their rearguard made a stand at Lodi, where a single bridge crossed the Adda River. The French sent a cavalry detachment to find a ford upstream to cross the river, but General Bonaparte, wanting to continue the pressure on the Austrians, grew impatient. A group of senior officers led the troops in successfully storming the bridge, enabling the French offensive to continue without delay.

Bibliography

Chandler, David G. Dictionary of the Napoleonic Wars. New York: Macmillan Publishing, 1979.
Smith, Digby. The Greenhill Napoleonic Wars Data Book. London: Greenhill Books: 1998.

Updated March 2017